V. Dhananjay Kumar’s 60th birthday - CM speaks to reporters

V. Dhananjay Kumar’s 60th birthday - CM speaks to reporters

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 25: CM B. S. Yedyurappa, who has been invited to the 60th birthday celebrations of V. Dhananjay Kumar, the former union minister, which will be held at Shri Bhagwan Sabha Bhavan at Venoor in Belthangady arrived at Bajpe Airport on May 25, Wednesday by special flight.












Interacting with reporters, he said that a cabinet expansion decision will be taken at the end of the assembly session. Further, he said that a state delegation will be sent to the centre to demand support price for paddy, adding that he has already written two letters regarding this to the central government, requesting PM Manmohan Singh to remove the ban on export of Sona Masuri rice to protect the interests of the farmers of Karnataka.

Stating that the state’s paddy farmers are in a pathetic condition in spite of the government’s initiative to provide support price of Rs. 100 per quintal of paddy and opening paddy procurement centres in various paddy-growing districts. He said that, if the ban on rice export is lifted, farmers will get at least Rs. 200 more than the minimum support price of Rs. 1,130, including the Rs. 100 per quintal, announced by the state government.

Regarding compensations for the families of the plane crash victims, he said that the state government has already compensated victims’ family members.

Commenting on certain Congressmen, who are now demanding the governor’s recall, he said that this is a “miracle.” He also criticized the centre for sending an advisory to the state government in a bid to appease Congress leaders, whose continuous efforts to introduce presidential rule in Karnataka have turned out to be futile. He said that that the citizens will never forgive the union government if it is sending an advisory to the state on the behest of Home Minister P. Chidambaram and added that the centre has not yet written to him on this issue. The CM also said that this issue will be discussed in the next meeting of the BJP’s national executive body, in which CMs of BJP-ruled states will participate.

Brushing aside the chances of Speaker Bopaiah resigning from his post, he said that the BJP-led state government will soon complete its third year in power and will focus completely on bringing positive changes in the state’s governing machinery in the next two years.

He also confirmed that it is not possible to reduce sales taxes on petrol after the union government has hiked petrol prices. He bluntly stated that the state government is unable to bear extra burdens of petrol price hike, adding that the Congress-led central government is fully responsible for the price hike.

The CM will spend the night in Mangalore and will leave for Bangalore by special flight at 8:00 a.m. on May 26, Thursday.